One Year Since Hadar Goldin's Return: Operation Led to His Location, Tunnel Sealed

Israel is marking one year since the return of Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, who was held captive by Hamas for 11 years after falling in battle during Operation Protective Edge on August 1, 2014. His body was returned to Israel on November 9, 2025, for burial. In the year leading up to his return, operational and intelligence efforts culminated in the discovery of the complex tunnel network where he was buried in Rafah and the arrest of a suspect believed to know his burial location.

In July 2025, security forces arrested terrorist Marwan Alhametz in a special operation. Alhametz is suspected of knowing Goldin's burial site within the "Dror Lavan" tunnel in Rafah. This arrest was part of dozens of covert operations aimed at bringing Goldin back for burial in Israel.

IDF forces uncovered a subterranean network in southern Rafah, over 10 kilometers long, where Goldin was held. The network had three levels, with the deepest reaching 30 meters below ground. This route passed under sensitive civilian areas, including schools, clinics, mosques, and a UNRWA compound. Approximately 80 rooms within the tunnel served senior Hamas commanders for accommodation and planning terror operations.

Hours after Goldin's return in November 2025, the Nahal Brigade's combat team destroyed the shaft from which he was abducted. In late June 2026, elite Yahalom and Shayetet 13 units sealed the entire subterranean route, which extended over 16 kilometers, using more than 30,000 cubic meters of concrete. Goldin, who fell at the age of 23, left behind parents, a sister, and two brothers. His family had long advocated for his return and criticized the state's perceived inaction until his body was finally brought back to Israel.